Tube corrugating apparatus



y 1943. E. w. RIEMENSCHNEIDER TUBE CORRUGATING AIPPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet l jwwm lid/7111M Wmmwh 5543 mtocwmga,

y 1 E. w. RIEMENSCHNEIDER 2,32%026 TUBE CORRUGATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 July 13, 1943. E, w. RIEMENSCHNEIDER 2,324,026

TUBE CORRUGATING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet? Filed NOV. 8, 1940 WNN y 194-3. E. w. RIEMENSCHNEIDER M 2,324,026

TUBE CORRUGATING APPARATUS Filed Nov. 8, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 July 13, 1943.

E. w. RIEMENSCHNEIDER 2,324,026

TUBE CORRUGATING APPARATUS 1 I'iled Nov. 8, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 gwua/wbow Patented July 13, 1943 TUBE CORRUGATING APPARATUS Edmund W. Riemenschneider, Canton, Ohio, as-

signor to The Union Metal Manufacturing Company, Canton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application November 8, 1940, Serial No. 364,859

9 Claims. (Cl. 153-73) The invention relates generally to apparatus for forming circumferential corrugations in thin walled metal tubes, and more particularly to apparatus for forming relatively deep corrugations in cylindrical or tapered tubes used for conduits or foundation piles; and the like.

In the past, tubes have been corrugated by using bending rolls for simultaneously forming circumferential corrugations throughout the length of the tube," but the depth of such corrugations is limited to the amount of stretching the metal of the tube will stand at each corrugation without rupture or weakening, and accordingly the corrugations which can be formed by such bending rolls are-relatively shallow.

It is obvious'that the deeper the corrugations can be formed without weakening the metal of the tube, the stronger will be the tube.

Certain prior apparatus have employed a pair of rotating roll dies for forming a spiral corrugation or screw thread in the wall of a pipe by moving the pipelongitudinally through the dies, but such apparatus cannot function to form a spiral corrugation in a tapered tube, be-

cause to do so would require the longitudinal speed of the tube to change for every-convolution of the corrugations.

Certain other prior apparatus have included a circumferentially grooved mandrel on and around which the cylinder to be corrugated is supported, with a rotating embossing tool traveling along the cylinder and rolling the cylinder wall into the grooves of the mandrel. However,

said embossing tool necessarily has a plurality'of teeth or ribs which are spirally disposed and are required to mesh with and follow the non-spiral grooves of the mandrel, tending to distort and stretch the metal of the cylinder at the corrugations. Moreover, if it is attempted to corrugate a tapered tube with this apparatus, the ends of the corrugations as they are formed during each rotation of the tube will not register accurately with the beginnings of said corrugations formed during the same rotation of the tube.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the present invention to provide a novel and improved apparatus for forming circumferential corrugations in cylindrical-and tapered tubes. 7

More specifically, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved apparatus for forming relatively deep circumferential corrugations in cylindrical or tapered tubes without maratus for forming deep circular corrugations throughout substantially the entire length of terially stretching the metal of the tube at the corrugations to cause weakening of the metal.

Another object is to provide improved appathin walled metal tubes.

A further object is to provide improved tube corrugating apparatus for forming circular corrugations successively one at a time throughout the length of a thin walled metal tube.

Another object is to .provide an improved tube corrugating apparatus which is adapted to corrugate cylindrical and tapered tubes over a wide range of tube diameters.

A still further object is to provide novel and improved tube corrugating apparatus which accomplishes all of the foregoing objects and which is simple and inexpensive to construct and to operate.

These objects, and others which will become apparent from the accompanying drawings and following description, are accomplished by the improvements comprising the present invention, which is comprehended in the combinations of elements, together with their reasonable mechanical equivalents, as defined in the appended claims.-

In general terms the present invention may be stated as including tube corrugating apparatus having a circumferentially, grooved rotating mandrel around which the tube to be corrugated is supported, and a plurality of corrugation forming members one positioned opposite each groove in the mandrel and adapted to be successively engaged with the tube to form corrugations therein.

In the drawings forming part hereof, in which preferred embbdimeints of the invention are shown by way of example,

Figure l is a plan view of one embodiment of the improved corrugating apparatus, showing a tapered tube in. position for being corrugated, using straight rods as the corrugation forming members;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, parts being broken away and in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary side elevation thereof showing only the tube, the rotating rolls and the straight-rods for forming the corrugations in the tube wall;

Fig. 4 is a still further enlarged fragmentary view thereof;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 55, Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation partly in section, of another embodiment of the improved corrugating apparatus;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary end elevation as on line 1-1, Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse sectional view as on line 88, Fig. 6;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged transverse sectional view as on line 9-8, Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is a similar view as on line ||0, Fig. 6;

Fig. 11 is a similar view of a slightly different form of the improved apparatus, and

Fig. 12 is a side elevation partly in section, of the embodiment shown in Fig. 11.

Similar numerals refer to throughoutthe drawings.

Referring first to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs 1 to inclusive a pair of rolls 4 and 5 are journaled oneabove the other in suitable bearing brackets supported on a base 6. The front end of the lower roll 5 is journaled in a bearing bracket 1 supported on the front end of the base, and the front end of the upper roll 4 is journaled in a swingable bearing bracket 8 which is pivoted on the bracket 1 at 9. The rear ends of the rolls 4 and 5 are journaled in a longitudinally spaced bearing bracket l0 supported on the base.

Means for driving the rolls preferably includes a. drive shaft journaled in longitudinally spaced brackets l2 and I3 on the rear end of the base and having a drive pulley H on its rear projecting end, for being driven from any suitable source of power. A pinion l5 on the drive shaft I3 meshes with a gear IS on a laterally spaced shaft journaled in the bearing bracket l3 at one end and extending longitudinally of the base over the bracket l2, the other end of shaft I1 being journaled in a bearing mounted in the side of bearing bracket III.

A pinion IS on shaft l1 meshes with a gear secured on the end of the shaft 2| of lower roll 5 for driving the same, and a pinion 23 on roll shaft 2| meshes with a pinion 24 of the same diameter and same number of teeth on the shaft 25 of the upper roll 4 for driving it at the same speed as roll 5 but in the opposite direction.

The shaft 25 of the upper roll 4 is journaled in a bearing 26 which is pivotally mounted in the bearing bracket ID as at 21, and the shaft 2| of the lower roll 5 is journaled in a bearing 28 which is vertically movable in the bearing bracket l0, being supported by a post 29 carried on a longitudinally extending lever 36 which is pivoted at 3| on a plate 32 secured to the bracket Hi. The lever has its rear end pivoted at 33 to a yoke 34 the arms of which extend upwardly and straddle the lower roll shaft 2|. The upper ends of the arms of yoke 34 are pivoted to studs 35 projecting laterally from opposite sides of the end of the upper roll shaft 2' The front end of 1632 under side with a cam 5;" face 33 which is slidably engaged by a cam on the lower end of the swingable bearing 8 in the top of which the front end of upper roll 4 is journaled.

When it is desired to raise the front end of the upper roll shaft 4 the swingable bearing 8 is grasped at the handle portion 38 and swung downwardly and outwardly about the pivot '9, as indicated by the dot-dash position in Fig. 2. This movement causes cam 31 to raise the front end of lever 30 about its pivot 3|, and the rear end of the lever to move downwardly and allow the bearing 28 to move the rear end of roll 5 downwardly an amount sufficient to disengage the pinion gear 23 from the pinion gear 24. At the similar parts is provided on its same time, the downward movement of the rear end of lever 30 causes the yoke 34 to pull downwardly on the rear end of roll shaft 25 and swing the roll 4 about the pivot 21 to raise the front end of the roll. In this position a tube 40 to be corrugated can be slid over the upper roll or mandrel 4, after which the upper roll is lowered to position by returning the swingable bearing I to its full line position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, in which position the axes of the rolls are fixed when they are rotated to form corrugations.

The parts thus far described are conventional and per se form no part of the present invention.

The upper roll 4 is provided throughout the major portion of its length intermediate its journaled ends with a series of circular ribs 4| at longitudinal intervals and forming transverse grooves 42 therebetween. The lower roll 5 is provided throughout the major portion of its length intermediate its journaled ends with a. series of circular transverse grooves 43 at longitudinal intervals, and as best shown in Fig. 4 the grooves 43 are positioned opposite the grooves 42 in roll 4.

The bearings for journaling the roll are positioned so that, in the closed position of the rolls, the space between the ribs of upper roll 4 and the outer surface of roll 5 is substantially greater than the thickness of the thin metal wall 44 of tube 40, and the tube is therefore not rolled or formed by the rolls themselves without the use of separate corrugation forming means.

The tube 40 as shown is a tapered tube with its larger end at the front end of the machine, although the machine is equally well adapted for forming corrugations on straight cylindrical tubes. The maximum length of the tube being corrugated is determined by and is slightly longer than the corrugated or grooved portions of the rolls. The diameter of the tube being corrugated can vary from a smallest diameter slightly larger than the upper roll 4 to a largest diameter which will fit under the super structure 45 supported on the base of the apparatus.

Means for centering the tube 40 during the corrugating operation may include a cylindrically shaped guide 46 engirdling the tube and suspended from the super structure 45.

In the corrugating operation, the rolls 4 and 5 are driven in opposite directions as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 5, and beginning at one end or the other of the corrugated portions of the rolls a series of die elements comprising straight rods 4] are inserted one at a time under the tube wall 44 and in the successive grooves 43 of the lower roll which engage and feed the rods each in the plane of a mating groove 42 in roll 4 and between the tube and lower roll 5. The operation can be started from either end of the tube and is shown in the drawings as progressing from left to right. The rods 41 are movable only in fixed planes transversely of the tube, that is, each rod moves in a transverse plane determined by a pair of registering grooves 42 and 43 As the first rod ,passes through the rolls it drives or rotates the tube on the upper roll and forces the tube wall toward the upper roll between the first two ribs 4| thereof to roll form a circular corrugation :29 in the tube wall. The ribs 4| interiorly support or back up the tube wall at longitudinally spaced zones between the grooves 42 along the longitudinal side of the tube adjacent the lower wall 5. Preferably, the rods are pointed as shown at 48 to facilitate their insertion between the rolls and are of sufficient length so that the tube will make at least two revolutions while one rod is passing through the rolls. After the tube has made one complete revolution to form the first corrugation, the next rod is inserted in the next adjacent groove 43 and while this second rod is forming the second corrugation, the first rod holds the first corrugation in shape and irons and smooths it during the second revolution of the roll. As the first rod completes its passage between the rolls, the second rod 41 has only partially completed its passage, so that when the third rod is inserted in the next adjacent groove the second rod will hold and iron the second corrugation as the third corrugation is formed.

This operation is continued to form successive corrugations throughout the length of the portion of the tube to be corrugated, so that there are always two rods passing through the rolls,

one of which is forming a corrugation and the other of which is holding the corrugation just formed in shape. In Fig. 4 the rod indicated at 41a is holding the corrugation indicated at 4011 in shape while the rod indicated at 41b is forming the corrugation indicated at 48b.

Accordingly, as each corrugation is formed the bending and forming of the tube wall at the corrugation is accompanied by a contraction in the length of the uncorrugated part of the tube, so that the metal between the corrugating ribs on opposite sides of the corrugation is merely bent and rolled into shape without any excessive pstretching or distortion. Thus the corrugations formed in the embodiment of the improved apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 5 can be made relatively deep without weakening the metal at the corrugations.

Obviously, since only one corrugation is formed at a time the corrugations can be formed as easily in a tapered tube as in a straight cylindrical tube.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 6 to inclusive an upper roll I04 is journaled at its rear end in spaced bearings I50 mounted in a bearing support I5I carried on the base I06, and the front end of roll I04 is journaled in a swingable bearing bracket I08 which is pivoted at I09 on a bearing bracket I 01 carried on the front end of the base.

The lower roll I 05 is spaced below the upper roll I04 and has its rear end journaled in spaced bearings I52 mounted in the bearing support J5I, and its front end journaled in a bearing I53 mounted in the front bearing bracket I01.

Means for driving the rolls I04 and I05 in opposite directions preferably includes a bevel gear I54 which is driven from any suitable source of power, and which meshes with bevel gears I55 journalecl on the drive shaft I56 which is journaled at one end in the bearing I51 supported on the base and at the other end in the bearing support I5I. Clutch means for driving the shaft I56 in either direction preferably includes a clutch lever I58 which is pivoted at its bottom end at I59 on the bearing support I5I and connected intermediate its ends to the clutch mem-- ber I60 which is keyed on shaft I56, for moving the clutch member in opposite directions to engage one or the other of the-bevel gears I55 .for driving the shaft I56 in opposite directions.

The front end of the drive shaft I56 within the bearing support I5I has a gear I6! thereon which meshes with a gear I62 between bearings I 52 and secured on the roll I05 to drive the same.

The gear I62 meshes with a gear I63 between bearings I50 and secured on the upper roll for driving the upper roll in the opposite direction. As shown the gear I 63 is smaller than the gear I62 in order to drive the roll I04 at greater speed than the roll I 05, for reasons hereinafter described.

The lower roll I05 has a cam member I64 mounted thereon for rotating with the roll and moving longitudinally thereon at the same time. Preferably, the roll I05 has diametrically opposite longitudinal slots or keyways I65 formed therein and extending between the bearings I52 and I53, and the cam member I64 is provided with internal keys I66 which slldably fit in said slots or keyways I65 to key the roll I05 and the cam I64 together. Means for causing the cam member I64 to move longitudinally along the roll shaft I 05 as the cam member and roll rotate preferably includes screws I61 located in the slots I65 of the roll and screwed through the keys I66 of the cam member so that rotation of the screws I61 relative to the roll I05 will cause the cam member I 64 to travel longitudinally along the roll I 05. The screws are driven from roll I05 preferably as shown in Fig. 7 by extending the screw shafts I68 through the rearend of the roll I05 in which they are journaled in suitable bearings as indicated at I69, and by securing on their projecting ends pinion gears I 10 which mesh with a ring gear I1I secured on the bearing support I5I as by bolts I12.

Thus as the roll I05 is rotated and with it the cam member I64, the pinions I10 mesh with the ring gear IN to rotate the screws I 61 about their axzs and move the cam member I64 longitudinally along the roll I05. As shown, the front ends of the screws I61 are journaled in suitable bearings I13 in the front end of the roll I05 wi hin the bearing I53.

' The tube I40 to be corrugated is positioned around the upper'roll or mandrel I04 which has .a series of circular ribs I4I thereon, and the corrugating means in this embodiment preferably includes a series of die elements comprising rings I14 which engirdle the tube I40 and which are provided on their inner peripheries with corrugating ribs I14 for engaging the tube wall I44 to bend it upwardly between adjacent ribs I on the upper roll. The corrugation forming rings I14 are normally held in position, with each ring opposite a mating groove I42, around and spaced somewhat below the upper roll I04 by means of longitudinally extending supporting rods I16 on opposite sides of the roll I04 and having their front ends supported on the bearing bracket I01 and their rear ends supported on the bearing support I5I. Thus when the swingable bearing bracket I08 is swung away from the roll I04 the tube I40 can be slid over the roll I04 between the roll and the rings I14.

In forming corrugations on the tapered tube- I40, assuming that the cam member I64 is at the front end of the series of rings I14, when the rolls I04 and I05 are rotated the recessed helical portion I11 on the rear side of the cam will engage under the first ring I14 in the manner indicated in Fig. 9, and as the cam makes one rotation the ring moves onto the outer helical cam surface I18, which will feed and force the ring against the tube wall I44 and the tube wall against roll I04 to drive the tube with roll I04 and roll form a circular corrugation in the tube wall at a mating groove I42 between adjacent ribs I4I, as the ring and cam rotate. The size of gear I63 on the roll I04 is calculated to drive the roll at a peripheral speed substantially equal gation in shape while the second ring is forming H the second corrugation.

In Figs. 6, 9 and 10 the cam is shown in a position in which the recessed cam portion I11 has just engaged ring H41: and on one further rotation of the cam the outer cam surface I18 will move the ring I 14a upwardly to engage and form the tube wall I44. The ring I14b which is beginning to form a corrugation I48 is just starting to ride on the outer cam surface I10, and the ring I140 is also riding on said outer cam surface and has completed one revolution, while ring I14d has completed two revolutions and is about to ride off the front end of cam surface I18 onto recessed portion I19 as the ring I14a begins to engage recessed portion I11.

The recessed helical portion I19 on the front side of cam I64 is reversely formed with respect to the recessed portion I11 on its rear side, so that the tube can be corrugated progressing from the rear of the machine toward the front by starting the cam member at the rear end of the series of rings I14, and moving it forwardly to successively move the rings into corrugation forming engagement with the tube I40.

The embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 11 and 12, is generally similar to the form shown in Figs. 6 to 10 inclusive, including an upper roll 204 or mandrel having circular ribs 241 thereon, and a lower roll 215 having a cam member 264 mounted thereon for rotating with the roll and simultaneously moving longitudinally thereon. The cam member 264 has internal keys 266 slidably fitting in keyways 205 in the roll 205, and axially rotating screws 261 for moving the cam member 264 along the roll as it rotates.

However, in the embodiment of Figs. 11 and 12 the corrugation forming rings 214 engirdle the lower roll 205 and are somewhat larger than the cam member 264 so that the cam member will engage the inner circumference of the rings to move them upwardly in engagement with the tube wall 244 to form the corrugations. Accordingly the corrugating ribs 214' on the rings are on the outer circumference thereof.

As shown in Figs. 11 and i2, rods 216 extend longitudinally of the roll on opposite sides thereof for supporting the rings 214 when not being engaged by the cam member 264, and a cylindrically shaped guide 246 is suspended from super structure 245 and engirdles the tube 240 for centering the tube during the corrugating operation.

Obviously, in both the embodiments of Figs. 6 through 10 and Figs. 11 and 12, instead of using circular rings with inner or outer rounded ribs I14 or 214 for engaging the tube wall, rings or die elements of circular cross section could be used to form the corrugations by providing spacing means between the rings of circular cross section to properly space them longitudinally. Also, the rings I14 and 214 are movable only in fixed planes transversely of the tube, that is,

each ring moves in the plane of one of the grooves in the mandrel I04 or 204.

The several embodiments of the present invention provide improved apparatus for forming relatively deep circular corrugations in cylindrical or tapered tubes over a wide range of tube sizes without weakening the tube metal at the corrugations.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for forming relatively deep circular corrugations in tubes, including an upper grooved mandrel roll around which the tube is positioned, a lower roll having grooves opposite the grooves in the upper roll, means for driving the rolls in opposite directions, and a plurality of rods adapted for being successively passed between the tube wall and lower roll in the lower roll grooves for successively rolling the tube wall into the grooves of the upper roll to form circular corrugations in the tube, said lower roll grooves being adapted for moving the rods between the tube and the lower roll when the rolls rotate.

2. Apparatus for forming relatively deep circular corrugations in tubes, including an upper grooved mandrel roll around which the tube is positioned, guide means for centeringthe tube, a lower roll having grooves opposite the grooves in the upper roll, means for driving the rolls in opposite directions, and a plurality of rods adapted for being successively passed between the tube wall and lower roll in the lower roll grooves for successively rolling the tube wall into the grooves of the upper roll to form circular corrugations in the tube, said lower roll grooves being adapted for moving the rods between the tube and the lower roll when the rolls rotate.

3. Apparatus for forming relatively deep circular corrugations in tubes, including an upper grooved mandrel roll around which the tube is positioned, a lower roll spaced from said upper roll, means for driving the rolls in opposite directions, a plurality of rings positioned around one of said rolls opposite the grooves in said upper roll, and means on and operatively connected to the lower roll for successively rolling said rings against the wall of the tube for rolling the tube wall into successive grooves in the upper roll.

4. Apparatus for forming relatively deep circular corrugations in tubes, including an upper grooved mandrel roll around which the tube is positioned, a lower roll spaced from said upper roll, means for driving the rolls in opposite directions, a series of rings positioned around one of said rolls one opposite each groove in the upper roll, and means including a cam mounted on and operatively connected to the lower roll for successively forcing said rings into rolling engagement with said tube wall.

5. Apparatus for forming relatively deep circular corrugations in tubes, including an upper grooved mandrel roll around which the tube is positioned, a lower roll spaced from said upper roll, means for driving the rolls in opposite directions, a plurality of rings positioned around the upper roll one opposite each groove in the upper roll, ring driving means longitudinally movable on and rotatable with said lower roll, and means moving said ring driving means longitudinally on said lower roll for successively rolling said rings against the wall of the tube and forming the same in the successive grooves of the upper roll.

6. Apparatus for forming relatively deep circular corrugations in tubes, including an, upper grooved mandrel roll around which the tube is positioned, a lower roll spaced from said upper roll, means for driving the rolls in opposite directions, aseries of rings positioned around one of said rolls one opposite each groove in the upper roll, and means on and operatively connected to the lower roll for successively movingsaid rings into rolling engagement with said tube to form circular corrugations therein, said means being adapted for holding each ring in corrugatlon forming engagement with said tube for at least two revolutions thereof and to 'ove the next adjacent ring into corrugation/ orming engagement with the tube substantially at the beginning of 'the second revolution in engagement with said first ring.

7. Apparatus for forming relatively deep circular corrugations in tubes, including an upper I grooved mandrel roll around which the tube is positioned, a lower rollspaced entirely below said upper roll, means for driving the rolls in opposite directions, a series of corrugation forming rings, means supporting said rings around one of said rolls with each of said rings opposite one of the grooves in said upper roll, cam

means movable longitudinally 0n and rotatable with said lower roll for successively raising said rings to roll form the wall of said tube into successive grooves of the upper roll, and meansgrooved mandrel roll around which the tube is positioned, a lower roll spaced from said upper roll, means for driving the rolls in opposite directions, a series of corrugation forming rings, means supporting said rings around said lower roll with each of said rings opposite one of the grooves in said upper roll, cam means movable longitudinally on and rotatable with said lower roll, and means moving said cam means longitudinally on said lower roll for engaging the interior of said rings successively to move the same into engagement with the tube to roll form the same into the successive grooves in the upper roll.

9.- Apparatus for successively forming relatively deep circular corrugations in tubes, including an upper mandrel roll having circumferential grooves in planes at right angles to its axis around which the tube is positioned, a lower rollspaced from said upper roll, means for rotating the rolls in opposite directions, means journaling the rolls with their axes in fixed positions when the rolls rotate, a plurality of individual separate corrugation forming die elements for mating with the grooves of the upper roll and pressing the tube wall into said grooves and means on the lower roll for progressively engaging from one to the other and feeding the die elements each in the plane of a mating groove in the upper roll and between the tube and lower roll as the rolls rotate, for rolling circular corrugations in the tube progressively from one end to the other thereof.

EDMUND W. RIEMENSCHNEIDER. 

